Similarities
* All three men were born in British America and were educated in the British tradition.
* All three men were strong advocates for American independence from Britain.
* All three men were gifted writers and pamphleteers who used their skills to argue for the American cause.
* All three men played important roles in the Continental Congress and in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Differences
* Paine was a radical Democrat who believed that all men were created equal and that the government should be based on the consent of the governed. Lee and Jefferson were both more conservative in their political views, and they believed that the government should be based on a balance of power between the different branches of government.
* Paine was a deist who did not believe in organized religion. Lee and Jefferson were both Christians, but they differed in their religious views. Lee was a member of the Anglican Church, while Jefferson was a Unitarian.
* Paine was a strong supporter of the French Revolution, while Lee and Jefferson were both more cautious in their support. Paine believed that the French Revolution was a model for the American Revolution, while Lee and Jefferson were concerned that the French Revolution was becoming too radical.
Despite their differences, Paine, Lee, and Jefferson were all important figures in the American Revolution and in the founding of the United States of America. Their ideas and writings helped to shape the American nation and continue to inspire Americans today.